My Favorite Tabouli

Tabouli is a wonderful accompaniment to hummus, flatbread and felafel. Serve it with feta cheese and Greek olives. This recipe for tabouli has been a favorite of mine for years. It's a great summer salad; good for picnics because it doesn't spoil easily.

You can buy Bulgur wheat at a middle-eastern specialty shop, or at Trader Joe's if you're lucky enough to live near one. If you can't find it anywhere nearby, you can substitute cous-cous.

This recipe is inspired by the delicious tabouli I had at Emily's Lebanese Deli, in Northeast Minneapolis, so I call it

Lebanese-style Tabouli
1 cup dry bulgur wheat
2-3 cups cold water
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. dried mint
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 cup olive oil
fresh black pepper
1 packed cup freshly chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped scallions (include the greens)
2 medium tomatoes, diced

First, prepare the bulgur by soaking it for 2-3 hours in cold water. Most recipes that use bulgur wheat instruct you to use boiling water, but I've found that this "cooks" the wheat a bit and makes it mushy and sticky. Soaking in cold water results in a fluffier grain that doesn't hold onto the water. This gives it more capacity to absorb the liquids in the ingredients, without getting soggy. Check it after an hour or two to see if it's gotten to a pleasing texture. It should be "al dente" like good pasta: still offering some resistance to the tooth.

When it reaches the "al dente" stage, drain it thoroughly by lining a colander or large strainer with cheesecloth. Dump the wet bulgur into the cheesecloth, gather up the corners and squeeze the water out of the wheat. While preparing the other ingredients, let the damp wheat sit for another hour, stirring and tossing it from time to time, to fluff it and dry it.

Add the lemon juice, garlic, oil, mint and seasonings and mix thoroughly.

Add the chopped parsley and onions and toss everything together.

Just before serving, add the chopped tomatoes. Correct the seasonings.

Serves 8